It would appear that in addition to HBK’s never-before-released matches and moments (of which no footage has yet surfaced) Shawn’s new interview will primarily focus on his current involvement with WWE as a trainer at the Performance Center and his contributions to the NXT brand.
We may also be seeing some newly-filmed interviews with NXT Superstars about what it’s like to be under the learning tree of the 35-year veteran and Hall of Famer.
Get a look at the trailer below and pre-order your copy of the DVD by clicking here to Amazon.com. It’s scheduled to hit the UK on October 1st followed by the USA on October 2nd.
SHAWN MICHAELS: THE SHOWSTOPPER UNRELEASED
For the first time on DVD, WWE Home Video goes deep into the WWE archives to bring you unreleased classics featuring “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels. Enjoy rare matches from the legendary career of “The Showstopper”.
This is the next chapter in the Unreleased series (that previously featured the “Macho Man”) and presents Never-Before-Released classics with The Undertaker, Bret Hart, Kurt Angle and Stone Cold Steve Austin!
Ooooh, yeahhhh! Randy Savage already joined the WWE Unreleased series last month with the “Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of the Macho Man” DVD. Hosted by an unlikely four-person panel (consisting of Corey Graves, Bayley, Sean Mooney and Diamond Dallas Page), this one brings together dozens of matches ranging from television squashes in the WWF to post-taping dark matches to televised clashes from WCW. They cover the period from 1985 to 1999, and during that decade-and-a-half, there weren’t many stars bigger than the Macho Man.
Because there are so many bouts here and many of them only last a few minutes (especially early on), I’ve decided to pick out ten encounters which are particularly notable for different reasons. I should also mention that the DVD has some interesting Savage segments dotted throughout the set, such as an amusing skit where Mean Gene Okerlund visits Savage and Miss Elizabeth at home (where the then-Intercontinental Champion states that “A plane just flew overhead and I’m not on it, do you know why I’m not on it? Because I’m not defending this!”), as well as the music video for Speaking From The Heart, a rap song based on Savage from WrestleMania: The Album released in 1993 (yes, Savage was rapping long before the release of Be A Man). The latter is both ridiculous and wonderfully nostalgic, conjuring up memories of a much simpler time in pro wrestling.
So, here are ten matches that you should look out for on this new Macho Man DVD!
DIG IT! “Randy Savage Unreleased” is available now on Amazon.com (USA) & Amazon.co.uk (UK)
THE MATCHES
WWF Championship Wrestling – July 6, 1985
Randy Savage vs. Aldo Marino
This is Savage’s televised debut for the WWF. The match is nothing special, with Savage unsurprisingly dominating the bulk of the bout. What I really liked, though, was the post-match scenes where all of the WWF’s top heel managers congratulated Macho in their own attempts to recruit the exciting newcomer. It was such an effective way to introduce somebody as a big deal, especially in the manager-heavy WWF of the mid-1980s. I also found it interesting that after several of the squash matches which open this DVD, Savage makes references to Hulk Hogan and his WWF Championship. The idea of everybody on the roster making a claim for the top title enhanced the prestigious of the championship and its holder, as well as being a tease of the vast history that Savage and Hogan would share in the years to come.
WWF Championship Wrestling – September 28, 1985
Randy Savage & Jesse Ventura vs. Mike Rice & Mario Mancini
Again, this is more or less a glorified squash, but it is neat to see Savage and Jesse Ventura on the same team, as well as it being a rare sight for The Body to be in the ring at all by this time (Jesse had already transitioned to commentary, having announced the first WrestleMania alongside Gorilla Monsoon). Savage and Ventura make rather quick work of Mike Rice and Mario Mancini, the latter of whom sounds like a footballer.
WWF International Wrestling Challenge – January 5, 1987
Randy Savage & Honky Tonk Man vs. Hulk Hogan & Ricky Steamboat
Savage captured the Intercontinental Championship from Tito Santana in early 1986, and of course he would lose the gold to Ricky Steamboat in a classic outing at WrestleMania III. Before that, though, this star-studded tag team match would take place. To say that the crowd are invested into the action would be an understatement: the four wrestlers have the fans in the palm of their hands throughout, none more so than the Hulkster, the master of owning an audience.
WWF Prime Time Wrestling – November 8, 1988
WWE Championship Match
Randy Savage (C) vs. Akeem
We’re well into Savage’s first reign as WWF Champion when this bout takes place, emanating from Paris, France. I’ve included this match on the list because Bobby Heenan is on commentary and, as you would expect, he is hilarious. After the match, which sees Savage retain the gold via disqualification, confetti falls from the ceiling as Savage and Miss Elizabeth celebrate, and The Brain pipes up: “Look at the dandruff on Elizabeth’s hair!”
WWF Live Event – March 7, 1989
Randy Savage vs. Ultimate Warrior
When you think of Savage and Warrior, you automatically think of their unforgettable Career match at WrestleMania VII, or possibly their hidden gem of a SummerSlam showdown from 1992. But they did meet on numerous occasions prior to WrestleMania V, at which time Savage (who had recently turned back heel on Hulk) was still WWF Champion, and Warrior held the Intercontinental crown. This non-title match would be presented through all of the major markets in March of ’89, and on almost every occasion, the outcome would be what we get here, as Rick Rude (who would dethrone Warrior at WM V) provided a distraction causing a screw-job finish.
Dark Match – July 17, 1990
Randy Savage & Sensational Sherri (w/ Brother Love) vs. Dusty Rhodes & Sapphire (w/ Miss Elizabeth)
It’s fair to say that Savage suffered a bit of a demotion once his legendary conflict with Hogan ended, spending much of 1990 in the mid-card as the Macho King. He was still over like rover, though, and this dark match provides sufficient evidence. A rematch of the mixed tag from WrestleMania VI, Elizabeth is again in the corner of Dusty and Sapphire, and I kid you not when I say that the reaction to the babyfaces triumphing is louder and more passionate than almost anything that you will hear all year in the WWE of 2018.
Dark Match – December 2, 1991
Randy Savage, Rowdy Roddy Piper & Hacksaw Jim Duggan vs. Ric Flair, Jake Roberts & The Undertaker
Savage was retired by Warrior at WM VII, and Macho would go on to reunite with and marry Elizabeth at SummerSlam. But that no-good Jake Roberts interrupted the wedding ceremony, and later set his cobra on Randy in a shocking angle. Savage was already campaigning for his reinstatement (we see a promo where Savage and Elizabeth state his case, during which Bobby Heenan has another classic line: when Gorilla Monsoon says that Elizabeth is beautiful, quick-as-a-flash Heenan replies “Compared to what?”), and he would officially make his comeback on-screen against Roberts at This Tuesday In Texas. The night before, though, he participated in this six-man tag, which is packed with iconic names: how crazy is it that the only guy in this bout who isn’t currently in the Hall of Fame is The Undertaker?
Dark Match – August 18, 1993
Randy Savage & Mr. Perfect vs. Giant Gonzalez & Mr. Hughes
If somebody asked you to come up with wrestling’s perfect dream team, I’m sure you would say “Mr. Hughes and Giant Gonzales”. Joking aside, neither would stick around the WWF for long after the summer of 1993. Before they departed the company after their relatively short runs, they faced a real dream pairing in Savage and Mr. Perfect (who had teamed before at Survivor Series 1992, to be fair) in this dark bout. The faces come out on top, finding a way to win despite the massive gulf in size between the faces and the heels. Incidentally, I did not know in 1993, nor do I know now in 2018, why or even how Hughes wrestled in glasses.
WCW Clash Of The Champions XXX – January 25, 1995
Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage vs. The Butcher & Kevin Sullivan
Savage arrived in WCW in December 1994 (by the way, on “The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the ’80s” DVD, Jerry Lawler noted that he had to replace Randy with an hour’s notice at the RAW commentary desk upon Savage leaving the WWF; could the pre-show walk-out explain why Savage was persona non grata for the WWF from that point on?), and at Starrcade, he reformed his on-screen partnership with Hulk Hogan. This clash at, erm, Clash of the Champions sees The Mega-Powers ride again against the former Brutus Beefcake and Kevin Sullivan, and features an intriguing yet ludicrous spot: Hogan has been put to sleep by the heels (who, naturally, choose not to immediately pin him for the win), so Savage decides to revive Hulk by hitting him with a Big Elbow. Hulk immediately comes back to life, ignoring Randy’s biggest move, and continues the match as if nothing happened. WCW, ladies and gentlemen.
WCW Monday Nitro – May 17, 1999
Randy Savage & Madusa vs. Ric Flair & Charles Robinson
The final match of the DVD comes from the last meaningful chapter of Savage’s career, occurring as Randy enjoyed a short-lived career renaissance in the spring and summer of ’99. On paper, this sounds dreadful, but the spots involving Madusa and Flair (yes, Flair) are surprisingly believable, and there is plenty of comedy to be found as well as real intensity between Savage and Slic Ric. The fans are totally into the action as well; watching this match, one would be surprised to learn that WCW was on a major downward slide at the time and would go out of business less than two years later.
THE VERDICT
Packed with so many rare matches covering a wide spectrum of performers, scenarios and rivalries from the Golden Age of the WWF and beyond, there is plenty of fun to be had from watching the new “Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of the Macho Man” DVD. The talking head comments from the panel are insightful if a little familiar (DDP does much of the talking, while Bayley only gets to provide her thoughts on occasion), and they add perspective to what Randy Savage was like outside the ring. This is a great companion piece to last year’s “WWE Unreleased 1986-1995”, not only because of so many bouts not being broadcast at the time, but because there is such a rich helping of nostalgia on display.
Of course, the central thread of the DVD is Savage himself, one of the most charismatic, talented and exciting wrestlers of all-time. This ensures that even the least eventful bouts are enjoyable; Randy was one of those performers who elevated a match by his sheer presence in the ring. As this DVD demonstrates, he was also a giving worker, trying to make his opponent look good whenever possible, from taking their big finishes to cowering in fear to frantically selling an injury. And he was definitely one of the most colorful wrestlers in history; his costumes caught your eye the moment he walked through the curtain, ensuring that you would look at him as a true superstar and react accordingly.
Because of the focus on unreleased and, in many cases, non-televised matches, there aren’t a large number of standout bouts from an in-ring perspective, at least not compared to Savage’s best work (which can be found across his previous two DVDs, “Macho Madness” and “The Randy Savage Story”). But in terms of all-round entertainment, this is excellent, and a must-own for any Savage fan. For die-hard collectors in particular, this is well worth owning, providing dozens of bouts that you will have never seen before, and allowing you to once again sit back and enjoy the legend that was Macho Man Randy Savage.
This one belongs in your collection – Oooh, yeahhhh!
Grab a copy of WWE’s new “RANDY SAVAGE UNRELEASED”DVD…
– USA: RIGHT NOW! Get your hands on the Macho Man DVD now here on Amazon.com.
– UK/Europe: RIGHT NOW! Get your hands on the Macho Man DVD now via Amazon.co.uk.
– Australia: July 18th. Your Macho Man pre-order opportunity is live at Madman.com.au.
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Not sure of mentioned elsewhere but it appears that the Canadian distribution issues are finally settled as not only are WM and Savage sets available in Canada but also the titles that were in limbo (Raw25, EC/fastlane combo) are available to order on Amazon.ca
I absolutely believe that is the way to go. I mean, the home video market, at least to an extent, has already shrunken down to the hardcore collectors. so putting out these types of sets that are specifically catered to them makes all the sense in the world to me.
Because there are many more Unreleased matches in the vault? And not ALL of those on the 2007 release were unreleased? And one of the discs in that release featured the documentary, so there weren’t all that many matches included on that release anyway?
like RabidHeat mentioned, that set wasn’t specifically promoted on having unreleased matches (and neither was “My Journey”). so while it included some content that hadn’t been released on dvd before, it also featured some that was already available on other dvds.
That’s hardly the proper trailer! In the video Michaels is mostly talking about & showing times of his released matches e.g. his Wrestlemania matches from his ladder match, iron man match, etc.
Hopefully we won’t have to wait to long for the full content of his Unreleased upcoming set! Or perhaps show a better trailer with an Unreleased match clip too!
Im sure theres to the dvd then just the matches. they al=ways have some cool story and intwerview to go with it. so maybe he talks about all that cool old stuff and some of the new things hes doing with nxt between all the matches.
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why this dvd and for example wm 34 dvd and bluray are no longer on the wweshop?? can anyone say something abou it?
Not sure of mentioned elsewhere but it appears that the Canadian distribution issues are finally settled as not only are WM and Savage sets available in Canada but also the titles that were in limbo (Raw25, EC/fastlane combo) are available to order on Amazon.ca
I absolutely believe that is the way to go. I mean, the home video market, at least to an extent, has already shrunken down to the hardcore collectors. so putting out these types of sets that are specifically catered to them makes all the sense in the world to me.
Did WWE released a bunch of “unreleased” matches back in 2007 on The Shawn Michaels Story: Heartbreak and Triumph? Why are they releasing another one?
Because there are many more Unreleased matches in the vault? And not ALL of those on the 2007 release were unreleased? And one of the discs in that release featured the documentary, so there weren’t all that many matches included on that release anyway?
So many reasons.
Only that tag title win from 1990 was unreleased when it was released in 2007.
like RabidHeat mentioned, that set wasn’t specifically promoted on having unreleased matches (and neither was “My Journey”). so while it included some content that hadn’t been released on dvd before, it also featured some that was already available on other dvds.
“Incidentally, I did not know in 1993, nor do I know now in 2018, why or even how Hughes wrestled in glasses.”
That made me chuckle. 🙂
That’s hardly the proper trailer! In the video Michaels is mostly talking about & showing times of his released matches e.g. his Wrestlemania matches from his ladder match, iron man match, etc.
Hopefully we won’t have to wait to long for the full content of his Unreleased upcoming set! Or perhaps show a better trailer with an Unreleased match clip too!
Hopefully by the end of the week.
Im sure theres to the dvd then just the matches. they al=ways have some cool story and intwerview to go with it. so maybe he talks about all that cool old stuff and some of the new things hes doing with nxt between all the matches.
First!